Next Monday evening, the 6th…Greg & Lucy Malouf will be sharing their recent food & travel experiences in Iran recorded in their new beautiful & sumptious cookbook…Saraban: - a chef’s journey through Persia

….please join us if you are in town - you’ll need to be quick - we only have 30 seats! [Update 1/12/2010 doubled to 70+ seats but the event is booked out - sorry!]

“We sit for a while, quiet now in the flickering candlelight, & reflect on the countless other travellers who have passed this way. Most would have been ordinary people like us - merchants, soldiers, pilgrims, tourists even - each with a story, a destiny. Tomorrow our journey will continue. We will have our very own saraban to guide us, & this vast country stretches all around, waiting to be explored, to be revealed, gradually.” Greg & Lucy Malouf

Following on from the success of their previous multi-award-winning food & travel books, Saha and Turquoise, Greg and Lucy Malouf now explore one of the world’s earliest and greatest empires - Persia.

Saraban is an unforgettable journey through the culinary landscapes of ancient Persia and modern-day Iran. More than just a cookbook, Saraban is a compelling blend of taste and travel and offers a unique glimpse into a fascinating country that remains elusive and enigmatic to many of us in the West.

In ancient times, the saraban was the head of a camel train, who would lead travellers safely across the desert to their destination. In Saraban: a chef’s journey through Persia, Greg and Lucy are guided by their own local saraban as they follow ancient spice trails across this vast and complex land. They meet pistachio farmers and toffee-makers, saffron growers and boat builders; they eat in exotic markets and tucked-away ‘dizi’ restaurants and are invited again and again into the homes of people they meet along the way. They discover a land of generous hospitality and of tea houses, mosques and caravanserais, where the diversity of climate and terrain, a tumultuous history, and exquisite art and architecture provide a fitting background for one of the world’s oldest, richest and most influential cuisines.

The recipes in Saraban are much like Iran itself: a coming together of the old and the new. Classic recipes, such as New Year Noodle Soup; Sweet Rice with Saffron, Nuts and Orange Zest; Fresh Herb Stew with Lamb and Dried Limes and Apple Vinegar-Mint Sherbet transport the reader to the heart of Old Persia. Others are reinterpretations and brilliant new creations, inspired by the techniques and flavours the Maloufs experienced on their travels. Hot Yoghurt Soup with Apricots and Sizzling Mint Butter; Barberry Rice with Rose Petals; Golden Seafood Stew with Bandari Spices; Pomegranate and Blood-orange Sorbet and Sour Cherry-Pistachio Nougat are just a few of the enticing dishes that confirm why Greg Malouf is recognised around the world for his ability to reinterpret Middle Eastern cuisine for the modern table.

Shot by Iranian photographer Ebrahim Khadem Bayat, the travel imagery in Saraban is vivid and enticing - as a local, he had unfettered access to cultural and religious sites which are often shielded from foreign eyes. Stunning food photography by Mark Roper and styling by Glen Proebstel translate Greg’s irresistible recipes from the road into a home-kitchen setting.

Please join Greg & Lucy Malouf to hear how they explored the food, the culture and the people of this mysterious and beautiful land.

Telephone Bookings are Essential: +613 8415 1415

$ Free

7pm Monday 6th December

Books for Cooks

233-235 Gertrude St

Fitzroy

If you can’t attend, we can organise signed and/or personalised copies

of Saraban, Turquoise, Saha, Moorish or Arababesque for you.

Copies will be available for purchase on the night.